ATLANTA — Parents may need to be flexible when searching for the perfect children’s gift this holiday season.

While a full toy shortage is not expected, Georgia Tech Industrial Design Professor Stephen Chininis says a “toy crunch” could make certain popular items tougher to find. He says ongoing uncertainty over tariffs and high shipping costs have made toy buyers more cautious.

Chininis states, “Obviously with the changes in tariffs and our relationship with China, things have gotten a little bit crazy.”

Roughly 80% of toys sold in the U.S. are made in China. Retailers typically place their holiday orders in June, but many scaled back this year meaning there could be less inventory if a toy suddenly becomes a hot seller.

Chininis states, “the big crunch comes in that we don’t really have an effective way now of if you got a hit, ordering a whole bunch more and getting them here quick. That can’t really happen the way it used to.”

He says the upside is that no single must-have toy has dominated the season so far, helping to spread demand. However, shoppers may still encounter limited options and higher prices if they wait too long.

Chininis, who works as a toy designer himself, says even with rising costs, he does not expect manufacturing to shift back to the U.S. anytime soon.

WSB Radio’s Lisa Nicholas contributed to this story.